Here we go again
by Lu78
Summary: Challenge fic from OCOH Valentines Day and a surprise outing


This is my attempt for the OCOH February Fan Fiction Challenge. The topic is Valentines Day and must include the line "Here we go again."  
  
Here we go again!  
  
Carter's POV BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!  
  
I groaned as I turned to switch the alarm clock off. "Here we go again. Another day, another shift." I was talking to myself, first sign of madness, I know. She's not here in bed with me like I would have hoped. We had a really stupid fight almost a months ago now and have been purposely avoiding one another since. I turn to her side of the bed where the bedclothes lay flat, unruffled by her beautiful body.  
I lazily drag myself from bed and work my way to the bathroom to stand under the steaming hot shower for at least twenty minutes. It's a day I'd rather forget although; it's the first time since the accident that I had indeed worked on this day. Standing in the shower I reach round and gently touch the smooth skin of my scars. Abby always kissed them as if to make the pain and memories disappear. Unfortunately they never will.  
I head towards County with some trepidation. It's strange I work in the building every day but today seems totally different. I know Abby isn't working today although I wish she were. We have been working opposite shifts now since our argument. She was on last night but should be long gone by the time I walk through the door.  
Inside the ER, the mood is slightly depressing. I believe it's this way every year. We don't celebrate very much. No one is ever in the mood too. I glance around to see who is working and to my surprise I see her. Her hair is dishevelled, her eyes tired, but still she manages to smile at the little girl she is treating. She truly is beautiful. It is taking me all my strength not to walk up to her, take her in my arms and kiss her. I have tried to talk to her now for the last week, but to no avail. I have prepared a romantic surprise for her tonight. I hope she will take me up on my offer.  
After changing into my lab coat I walk out to the desk to take note of what is happening. She is standing by the board looking over it. "Hey." I say, startling her. She turns and smiles wearily at me.  
"Hey, I didn't know you were working today." She states. She pushes a stray piece of hair behind her ear.  
"Well, couldn't keep avoiding this day forever." I smile back to her. "Abby are you working tonight?"  
"No that's me till Sunday night, why?"  
"Was wondering if we could talk tonight?" I smile anxiously. I hope she agrees.  
Her smile widens. "Sure." She sounds happy to talk to me. I hope we can sort things out.  
"I'll pick you up around seven, is that okay?" She nods before walking off to the lounge. I guess she's off home now, before anyone else can catch her to stay.  
The day continues slowly. It gives me the chance to catch up on charts and also to plan tonight. I want to make this night special, hoping to get her back into my life. I'm nothing without her. So I want to make it official tonight. I can only hope that she feels the same way.  
Around two o'clock Susan and I were sitting at the desk awaiting any patient who wished to come and see us. We were seriously bored. "So you got any plans for tonight?" I ask her.  
She smiles, her hand rubbing over her swollen stomach. "Chuck said, he has something nice planned. I only hope it includes food." I laugh as she says it. All Susan can think of now is food. Being pregnant will do that to someone though.  
The radio bursts into life. "County General this is Alpha 295, do you read?" We didn't recognise the voice. Normally we can tell which paramedic it is.  
"Go ahead 295, County here." Chuny was manning the radio.  
"En route with female, approximately 35. She's been mugged and stabbed, bleeding from the abdomen and has a bump to the head. ETA 5 minutes."  
"All right 295, we're standing by." Chuny signed off and turned to us. "Who wants it?"  
Susan and both looked at one another. "We'll both take it. That's how bored we are." Susan answered.  
We walked past the desk retrieving apron's on the way to stand out in the ambulance bay, awaiting the rig. Chatting about nothing in particular, we heard the ambulance pull up. As the door's open we could hear the patient trying to talk. The paramedic turned to us. "She's been saying 'Get John,' the whole way in."  
I looked into the rig. "Abby." I climbed up into the rig beside the gurney. Sure enough, Abby lay on the gurney. Her face was bruised and she was bleeding from her head. "It's all right sweetheart. I'm here."  
We got her into trauma one. Susan went to work on her head. Abby was breathing heavily, as if she couldn't catch her breath. I looked under the temporary dressings the paramedics had placed on her stomach. She had a gash across the abdomen and a small stab mark to the top of her thigh. She looked as if she had fought. "John." I could hear her soft voice. She was struggling to talk.  
"What is it baby?" I looked down at her, I knew I had tears in my eyes but I didn't care. I wasn't going to loose her, not today.  
"I was going to tell you tonight, but I need to tell you now." Her voice was getting weaker. I took her hand in mine and urged her to go on. "I'm pregnant, John. Don't let me loose it."  
I stood stunned. She was pregnant with my baby. That's why she looked so pleased when I asked her to come over this morning. I look down to her. She has tears in her own eyes as she struggles to breath. "I won't baby. You just hang on. You and our baby aren't going anywhere."  
I looked over to where Susan stood. She was busy, dealing with Abby's head wound. "Abby," She started. "Do you know what happened?"  
Abby glanced up to Susan. She took a deep breath before starting. "I was going to the store to get something for John and on my way back I decided to go for a walk in the park. I was walking passed the trees when this guy jumped out. He held me from behind with the knife at my stomach." I gripped her hand as I heard the tears in her voice. She gripped my hand back as if thanking me for the support. "I told him I didn't have any money, which was true, I hadn't gone out with much and had spent it at the store. He said he was going to kill me. I tried to scream but nothing came out. I told him I was pregnant, to which he sliced across my stomach and as I tried to get away he caught my leg. With that I fell to the ground and that's the last I remember." Tears streamed down her cheeks as she finished. She had one hand covering her stomach. I tried to move it, but she fought me the whole way trying to get it back. She was terrified for the baby she was carrying.  
"It's all right baby, just let Chuny clean you up so we can get an ultrasound to make sure junior's okay in there." I whispered softly to her. She glanced over to me, the fear in her eyes was overwhelming. "I promise you, nothing will ever happen to you again." I managed to say before her eyes closed.  
Two hours later she still asleep. Susan and I were standing outside her room watching her sleep. "Does this bring back memories?" She finally asked the question she had been waiting to ask for ages.  
"Yes, unfortunately. I know that this will turn out better though. She'll be fine and so will our baby." I smiled as I thought of the little baby in her stomach. Janet Coburn had come down to check on her and do an ultrasound. She had told me that the baby was perfectly healthy and the attack hadn't down anything to harm it. I was so relieved. To think that in seven months time we were going to be parents. It was the best news I could have received.  
I could see her stirring, so I went back into the room. "Hey you, how are you feeling?" I asked. She smiled up to me letting me know she was fine. "Do you feel up to a little trip?"  
She looked confused but nodded her head in agreement. She looked even more confused as I slipped a pair of scrub bottoms on her legs. I gathered her up into my arms and carried her to the elevators.  
When we reached the roof, she gasped in surprise. I had laid out a rug with a beautiful picnic on the roof of the building. the weather was surprising warm for February, but i placed a blanket around her shoulders to keep her warm. "I had this planned for tonight at the mansion but as we are here, I thought I'd bring it to you."  
"John, it's beautiful. Thank you." She smiled as she reached down to take one of the strawberries.  
"Before we eat, I have something to ask you. You know that I love you and that we have been through so much. Abby, I love you more than you will ever know and after today I don't ever want to be without you. Will you do me the greatest honour of being my wife?"  
She looked at me with delight in her eyes. "Yes, I'll marry you John. I love you too."  
Maybe Valentines day wouldn't be so bad anymore. 


End file.
